The humorous factor about OSMO is that they’ve barely modified since their launch in 2012. By means of the years, and maybe as a result of they didn’t preserve dropping flashy new flavors and seasonal editions, their enterprise and the eye they garnered has ebbed and flowed.
However their high quality and efficiency has remained a relentless, which is why it’s one in every of my go-to merchandise when I’ve one thing huge deliberate.
The newest such journey was 2+ weeks of biking in Japan, first on an organized tour with Journey & Search (examine that right here), then on a loosely organized bikepacking journey with my son the place plans modified hourly. For that, I packed a suitcase filled with OSMO’s catalog, hauled it midway all over the world, and proceeded to crush it with zero bonks and 0 cramps for your complete journey.
Should you’re on the lookout for stable journey diet and restoration, right here’s what it’s essential to learn about OSMO…
OSMO Speedy Restoration
I don’t begin rides with a restoration drink, however I’m beginning this evaluate with Speedy Restoration as a result of it’s one in every of my favourite merchandise. Right here’s why: Their Vanilla restoration combine is fingers down the very best factor so as to add to iced espresso with a bit milk for a killer hot-weather restoration drink. (watch me make it right here)
Every serving has 17g-18g of protein from whey protein isolate, and that’s vital. Whey Isolate is a a lot larger high quality model than Whey Focus, which is widespread in plenty of different merchandise (not all, to be honest, however loads) as a result of it’s cheaper. However, Isolate digests cleaner with fewer points (much less bloating, fewer farts). Regardless of guzzling down 1-2 servings after every day’s journey, I by no means had any bloating or gastrointestinal stress.
The chocolate taste blends in additional Micellar Casein, which I don’t have an issue with, however I favor the vanilla by a big margin.
For the bikepacking section, I dumped a pair tins of it right into a Gallon Ziploc and shoved it in our trunk bag. Japan has numerous spots to get water, so it was straightforward to combine after every day’s journey. And, Speedy Restoration rinses clear, so it didn’t construct up any movie in my shaker cup over two weeks of simply rinsing it with water after every use…no scrubbing needed.
I completed daily’s journey with 1-2 servings (and typically a half to full serving once more earlier than mattress). This technique labored as I felt surprisingly robust and recent every day for your complete period, and wasn’t fully wrecked after 16 days of exhausting driving.
OSMO Hydration & Energy Gas
OSMO’s unique message was easy – drink to hydrate, eat to gasoline. So, if there’s been one huge change for the model through the years, it’s that they’ve lastly launched a drink combine that’s designed to gasoline you, too. Form of.
Their unique Hydration combine is similar because it ever was, and each berry flavors are superior. Extremely suggest. Orange is fairly good, too, and Lemon Lime is among the many higher Lemon Lime’s on the market, but it surely’s nonetheless only a Lemon Lime. The entire flavors do a wonderful job of maintaining me (and, presumably, you) hydrated. We hammered day after day, and as soon as bikepacking, have been doing it with loaded bikes up tons and plenty of lengthy climbs. Sooo many climbs.
But we by no means cramped, and Steve (my companion on the Journey & Search tour) determined it will be enjoyable to not shift into the little ring for your complete week, so he was positively pushing huge gears on the climbs. No cramps or bonks for him both.
It is available in 20 serving canisters, which we used for the biking tour whereas they shepherded our baggage round for us. Then we switched to their single-serve packets for the bikepacking leg since they’ve take up much less and fewer house as we used them. I like baggage and pouches of product for that cause…they pack down smaller, and preserve getting smaller all through a visit. I’m guessing additionally they use much less plastic?
Some days we added OSMO’s newer Energy Gas combine to the Hydration combine, which is how you employ it. It’s an additive if you happen to’re trying to get extra carbs in your carbs. It’s a Cluster Dextrin (extremely branched cyclic dextrin) blended with Fructose and Sodium Citrate, with no taste. It’s designed so as to add a significant dose of carbs (39g) to your present sports activities drink combine, however stay simply digestible. It makes the drink a bit sweeter, and it’s a bit sticky, however appears to work effectively. Obtainable in 16-serving pouches and single-serve packets, with or with out caffeine.
OSMO Preload
OSMO’s Preload pre-sport hydration combine is one in every of my favourite issues and I don’t suppose it will get the like it deserves. It has a really slight pool water style, as does something with plenty of sodium bicarbonate, however the pineapple margarita taste makes probably the most of it. I really kinda prefer it. There’s additionally potassium (83mg) and magnesium (14mg), however the principle factor is pumping 1,430g to 1,850mg of sodium in you that can assist you maintain water earlier than heading out to journey.
If it ain’t broke…
Would I wish to see extra flavors from OSMO? Positive. However there’s one thing to be mentioned for consistency and predictability. I do know that OSMO’s merchandise work effectively for me, the flavors are palatable all day, daily, for weeks at a time, and that they do what they are saying they’ll. Not too long ago, they’ve added single-serve packaging for all of their merchandise, which is nice for journey. Should you haven’t discovered what you’re on the lookout for in a sports activities diet product, I’d say give these a attempt. They’re comparatively easy, with none gimmicky substances or guarantees, however they style nice they usually work.
Full disclosure: OSMO offered a small journey stipend to assist our journey to Japan. By no means did that affect this evaluate or my opinion their merchandise – I preferred them earlier than, and I like them now.
